Public School and M.Patmos win U.S. Woolmark Prize

The label, by Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, won a place in the CFDA’s Fashion Incubator program in 2010 and received the CFDA Award for Menswear in 2013 as well as The CFDA Vogue Fund Fashion Award in the same year.

Now it added another to its mantel: it is the first winner in the newly created menswear category for the USA regional final of the International Woolmark Prize.Marcia Patmos of M.Patmos took home the womenswear honor.

Both labels will receive AU$50,000 (US$47,000) plus the opportunity to represent the US in the prize’s international final, which will be held during London Collections: Men in January 2015 and the womenswear in Beijing in March. Participants in it will create a capsule collection made of Merino wool.

The respective winners of that global contest will be rewarded with AU$100,000 (US$95,000) and the chance to opportunity to be carried by some of the most influential retailers in the world such as Harvey Nichols, David Jones and Saks Fifth Ave.The USA final’s judging panel included Alexander Wang, In Style’s editor in Chief Ariel Foxman and W’s Stefano Tochi, among others.

“I've done a lot of work with wool but was intrigued to explore new techniques and the ability to contrast high tech with handcrafted was an incredible learning,” said Patmos. “It was such an honor to be alongside these other amazing designers, all of whom showcased such unique uses of wool.”

The other nominees for menswear were a.a. anotonio azzuolo, Ovadia & Sons, Timo Weilland and Todd Snyder. The four other womenswear nominees were Jonathan Simkhai, Nonoo, Rosie Assoulin and Whit.